For security reasons I was unable to travel to Ireland as a young man β my profession made it potentially dangerous during The Troubles. Ever since I first set foot in Northern Ireland, where I have spent 3 years of my life, I had wondered what life was life in the south. I had also hoped that one day the time would come when I could travel there freely with my family.
I thought that time had come in , but Covid and its restrictions, and other sailing challenges delayed my arrival by 4 years. My trip could really be divided into 4 stages, as I went round clockwise. The first part was lovely South West Ireland, the real home of yachting in Ireland.
Crosshaven to Dingle, taking in the coasts of counties Cork and Kerry, was full of beautiful rivers and inlets, delightful islands and soft landscapes, wonderful culture and gastronomic excellence. In this part of Ireland it is easy to sail, with marinas and yachting infrastructure in place, and many options to escape from poor weather, both wild and urban. We much enjoyed it, eating, drinking and sailing well, and this coastline was an ideal start to the summer.
The second part was the very wild west coast, from Dingle up to Donegal β the coasts of counties Clare, Galway, Mayo and Donegal. It was quite tough sailing, with unhindered Atlantic swell hitting the coast, and Atlantic depressions dumping their rain here first. There was very little to support the yachtsman β the first marina save a few berths in Galway was way up in Donegal.
The coastline is spectacular β high cliffs, towering rocks, and spectacular off lying islands. We loved it, but sought refuge from the weather on a couple of occasions, in Inishmore in the Aran islands, and in vibrant and fun Galway. For those seeking Atlantic wilderness, as we were β linger here.
